“Do as you wish. Why are you asking me that?”
The emperor’s eyes narrowed.
Though they shared the same blood, his younger brother remained an enigma — then and now.
That rigidly straight posture, the rhythmic tilt of polished boots — not a hint of unrest could be seen.
After that, the conversation drifted into empty, meaningless chatter. Irritated, Caron rose from his seat.
“May I be excused?”
It wasn’t a question but a declaration. He turned before an answer came — but the emperor, his lips trembling, cried out hastily,
“I heard the Grand Duke’s household has been buying up ancient books recently!”
“So what?”
“Books about the extinct magic of Azure.”
Caron’s step halted, and the royal crest woven into the carpet seemed to twist beneath his boot.
“You’re not the only one who can investigate, Grand Duke. I can dig into you as well.”
“……”
“Overlook the Crown Prince’s childish mistake.”
Caron crossed the table and approached the emperor. The sudden movement made the knights flinch.
“Shouldn’t we at least find out whether it was a childish mistake… or someone’s scheme?”
“I told you — I know your weaknesses, Grand Duke—”
“Weakness? Since when did Azure magic become my weakness?”
The polite tone vanished. His crimson eyes gleamed like polished glass.
“Since when did reading become a flaw?”
“……”
“Ah… or are you afraid I might master Azure magic too?”
Caron’s words curved deliberately. The emperor’s hand shook, rattling the teacup.
Caron watched him coolly before turning and walking out of the reception room, his expression utterly devoid of feeling.
As he strode down the corridor, he ordered his butler,
“Write to the Marquis of Rubian. Tell him I—”
The words trailed off mid-sentence.
He had spotted someone strolling through the palace gardens.
“Lady Rubian, isn’t it? And beside her… that’s the 1st Knight Division Commander, the young Duke Persch.”
“……”
“I heard the knights have been struggling with a shortage of healers lately. Looks like Lady Rubian’s been helping them.”
Under a tree in full bloom, silver hair shimmered like sunlight.
Her bright face cupped a handful of falling petals.
She had said she liked spring, hadn’t she?
“By the way… if she’s walking this way, will it be all right to run into her?”
The wailing of a child from the reception room had quieted — since that day.
The day that cursed alley was consumed by a blue aura, the fits of madness had lessened in frequency.
Thinking it might be related to Azure magic, he had purchased every old text on the subject across the empire.
None mentioned any limits to it — implying it was not merely a magic of physical healing.
“Your Grace? Can you hear me? Lady Rubian— huh!”
Their eyes met. Clear azure eyes — directly meeting his.
Jeril’s eyes went round as a rabbit caught by surprise.
…Wait. Met his eyes?
“Hide.”
Caron quickly ducked under the stone wall, shoving himself into the shadows.
The butler followed, thinking his master looked utterly undignified crouched like that.
“…She already saw you, though.”
“…What?”
Jeril muttered in disbelief.
She was on her way back after treating knights who had come down with food poisoning.
Ian had offered to show her around the palace as thanks — and then…
What’s Cal doing here?
Ian followed her gaze, brow furrowing.
Beyond the wall, only nobles were passing by — all with oddly stiff expressions.
<system> [ Karmic Debt: ▒9 ] </system>
No matter how much he hid, the glowing letters floating above his head couldn’t be concealed.
Judging by how the system was inching sideways, it was clearly trying to sneak away.
Oh no you don’t. Leaving without even saying hello?
Hadn’t they built a decent friendship by now?
Jeril handed the handful of petals she’d gathered to Ian.
The moment their small hands touched, he stiffened.
“Ian, I just saw someone I know. I’ll be right back!”
She darted off with a light, cheerful step.
The distance between her and Caron shrank fast — until she reached the wall and spotted the black head crouched there.
Hiding, huh? As if that huge frame could vanish anywhere.
Jeril called out brightly—
“Cal!”
Flinch. Broad shoulders jolted.
But when he turned, his face was calm, as if nothing unusual had happened.
Still, the butler could tell.
He’s flustered.
The brows that always formed a perfect symmetry were slightly misaligned.
“…Rubian.”
“Fancy meeting you here again! But, what are you doing in the imperial palace?”
A subtle pause, then just as his lips parted —
the sharp sound of boots echoed from behind.
“Lady Jeril, you might lose your way if you wander off—”
Ian’s cautious voice trailed off when his gaze met Caron’s.
He frowned.
“You’re—”
“I had documents to submit to the Immigration Department!”
The butler blurted out quickly.
Ten years surviving off scraps of attention in the Grand Duke’s household had prepared him for moments like this.
Praising himself inwardly, the butler discreetly wiped his nose.
Jeril, oblivious, nodded.
“Oh, that’s right! Cal’s a foreigner, isn’t he?”
“Foreigner?”
Ian’s expression turned incredulous.
From afar, the scene must have looked bizarre —
The infamous cold-blooded Grand Duke of Repert and his butler,
the gentle-looking yet ruthless Duke Persch,
and Lady Jeril, the adopted daughter of the Rubian Marquisate, a rare healing mage.
A strange combination in a random corridor at an odd hour — palace officials rolled their eyes as they passed.
What the hell’s going on there?
No idea.
Did they rent out the whole corridor?
If you don’t like it, go tell them yourself.
Are you insane?
As the whispers spread, Caron’s crimson eyes swept over them.
Everyone scattered instantly.
But there’s always one person who lacks common sense.
A flustered official running toward Jeril caught sight of Caron and froze.
“Wh–what in the world, isn’t this the Grand D—”
Thwack.
The dull sound of flesh meeting leather rang out.
A gloved hand clamped over the official’s mouth.
“Grand…?”
Jeril tilted her head.
“Didn’t he just say something?”
“He said… head.”
“…What?”
“He said head.”
The excuse was pathetically unconvincing.
As Jeril’s face twisted as if tasting something bitter, Caron shot the poor man a glare sharp enough to kill.
The desperate official, scraping together the last of his wits, cried out,
“I—I’m a birdbrain!”
I’m a birdbrain!
—brain! —brain!
His anguished shout echoed down the hallway.
Jeril hurried to calm him.
“The imperial palace really is a strange place…”
“What was it you needed?”
The official, finally regaining his senses, addressed Jeril.
“Ah, I’m Baron Degarr from the Department of Botanical Management.
I heard Lady Rubian treated the knights who had food poisoning.”
“Yes, is something wrong?”
The baron waved his hands frantically.
“Oh, no, not at all! It’s just — one of our staff fell ill, and I was hoping you could take a look.”
“What kind of symptoms?”
“About thirty minutes ago, strange blue spots appeared on his neck,
and now he’s showing mild convulsions.”
Blue spots — again?
It wasn’t just the shelter or the knights; now even palace staff were showing symptoms.
Something was definitely wrong.
Jeril’s expression hardened.
“Take me to him. Quickly.”
She turned, not forgetting to wave to the others.
“I’ll go ahead. Ian, I had fun today. Cal, see you later!”
“……”
“……”
The silence left in her wake was heavy.
Ian, eyes still following her, finally spoke.
“You’re deceiving her, aren’t you?”
Caron’s steps halted. Adjusting his gloves, he frowned.
“That’s none of your concern.”
“……”
“But you’d do well to keep your mouth shut.”
Ian stiffened. People said the Grand Duke of Repert had a fiery temper —
But that was wrong.
Ian had been there, the day the Duke’s madness erupted for the second time.
After the massacre, amid the carnage, the Grand Duke had only murmured one thing—
“...Too loud.”
Clutching his head, muttering that the noise wouldn’t stop — as if he were a man devoid of guilt.
Caron studied Ian with an expression bordering on boredom.
“Did you not hear me?”
“…Why should I?”
“What?”
That sharp crimson gaze turned on him.
Caron tilted his head and gave a dry, humorless laugh.
“You’re a kind man.”
“……”
“She’s the kind of person who gains nothing from getting involved with a monster like you.”
He paused, eyes narrowing.
“Especially if you’re hiding who you truly are.”
